THE CAFFRE CAT. 1 55 



XXIX. THE CAFFRE CAT. FELIS CAFFRA. 



Felis caffra, Desmarest, Mammalogie, Suppl. p. 540 (1822); 

 Elliot, Monograph of Felidae, pi. xxxi. (1878-83). 



Felis obscura, Desmarest, op. cit. p. 230. 



Felis nigripes, Burchell, Travels, vol. ii. p. 592 (1824). 



Felis maniculata, Cretzschmaer, in Riippell's Atlas, vol. i. pi. i. 



(1826). 

 Felis pulchella, Gray, Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. i. p. 577 (1837). 

 Chaus caffer, Gray, List Mamm. Brit. Mus. p. 45 (1843). 

 Leopardus inconspicuus, Gray, op. cit. p. 44. 

 Felis caligata, I. Geoffroy, Jacquemont's Voyage, p. 49 (1844). 

 Felis lybica, I. Geoffroy, op. cit. p. 56. 

 Felis margarita, Loche, Rev. Mag. Zool. ser. 2, vol. x. p. 49 



_ (1858). 



Felis inconspicua, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, p. 273. 



{Plate XIX.) 



Characters — With this species we once more revert to the Cats 

 of the Old World. Somewhat larger than an ordinary Domestic 

 Cat, it may be characterised as follows : Colour varying from 

 pale fulvous to grey or pale yellowish, with dark transverse 

 markings on the limbs and towards the end of the tail, and 

 two transverse bars of the same colour on the cheek; tip of 

 tail black. Frequently the hinder part of the soles of the hind- 

 feet black; but in the paler varieties this part not darker than 

 the back. In some specimens from South Africa there are 

 indistinct traces of transverse stripes on the back. Tail and 

 limbs relatively long. Length of head and body, from 24 to 

 30 inches; of tail, 14 to 15 inches. 



Distribution. — Africa, from Egypt and Algeria to the Cape ; 

 Syria and Arabia. 



Habits. — This is the common Wild Cat of most parts of 

 Africa \ and although it is now well nigh exterminated in the 



